1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of plumbing traps and strainers, specifically to a plumbing assembly that is used under a plumbing fixture (sink, tub, etc.) to prevent drain blocking clogs. It has two strainers and structure for supporting them in desired positions of use between the plumbing fixture and the drain piping below it, with one strainer located above the other. The first strainer has a larger debris-catching volume than the second strainer and is in a superior position to the second strainer. Both have openings on their side and bottom surfaces configured to catch all debris, including hair and food particles, as well as dimensioned to allow oils and grease to be rinsed substantially from the collected debris. When the first strainer becomes filled with debris and/or wastewater flow through it begins to slow, it is lifted upwardly through the drain opening in the associated plumbing fixture and cleaned by emptying its contents into a dry waste receptacle. While the first strainer is removed from its preferred position of use, the second strainer is typically left in place to catch all debris in any standing water or other waste fluid passing through the plumbing fixture's drain opening. Should the openings in the first strainer become sufficiently blocked with debris to cause standing water in the associated plumbing fixture, the first strainer can be drawn upwardly through the standing water, with the second strainer functioning in a back-up role to catch any debris in the standing waste fluid as it enters into the plumbing fixture's drain opening and before it passes into a connected trap or drain piping, thus avoiding the risk of such debris building up sufficiently in the trap or drain piping to produce a fluid-blocking clog in a position that would be time consuming and/or costly to unblock. An important advantage of the present invention system is that both strainers are inserted and removed through the discharge opening of an associated plumbing fixture from a location above it. Thus, the person using a plumbing fixture having a connected present invention assembly does not have to bend over or drop to the knees to remove collected debris from either strainer. The first strainer can be easily removed via finger engagement with a protruding stub built into its interior surface near to its open top end. The second strainer has an elongated handle that permits easy withdrawal of the entire second strainer after the first strainer has been removed. Also, the handle of the second strainer is sufficiently short and has a bent configuration that allows it to clear the primary strainer above it so that when the second strainer is in its preferred position of use, it does not unseat the first strainer from its preferred positioning, whereby optimal debris catching is achieved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Debris traps for wastewater entering drain piping from a plumbing fixture are necessary to prevent the formation of fluid-blocking clogs that cause slow evacuation of wastewater from the plumbing fixture and/or wastewater accumulation in the plumbing fixture. P-traps or S-traps are typically placed under the fixture from which the wastewater is drained and clean out procedures are accomplished only from under the fixture, a disadvantage for those with arthritis, knee or hip injury, and advanced age. Also, special tools are usually needed to remove a P-trap or S-trap for cleaning, and strength may be required to accomplish the task, again a disadvantage for the infirm, injured, and elderly. Another prior art means of catching wastewater debris are strainers sitting in the uppermost portion of the drain piping connected to a plumbing fixture, such as the common kitchen sink strainer basket. However, many of them are shallow and not effective in high-volume wastewater applications, and/or do not have a filtering configuration that is effective in trapping hair and debris. Further, there is the issue of standing water, wherein once a strainer basket is removed, any standing water or other waste fluid in a plumbing fixture, along with associated debris, immediately moves through the plumbing fixture's drain opening and enters the drain piping below, where it poses a risk for creating a drain blocking clog in a position that would be difficult or expensive to remove.
While plumbing assemblies for trapping food, hair, and other debris are known to comprise multiple straining devices, such as the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 989,410 to Peters (1911) and U.S. Pat. No. 394,213 to Scannell (1888). Both of the Peters and Scannell inventions have a superior strainer body with an independent strainer plate beneath it. The present invention has significant advantages over the both inventions and other known prior art, but the main difference is that the strainer plates of the Peters and Scannell inventions are not as easily and promptly removable from their positions of use within drain piping as is the second strainer of the present invention, which requires no separate tool, only finger engagement with its upwardly-directed handle. Also, Peters and Scannell disclosures do not teach the use of two reducing couplers, an adaptor, or the use of compression straps for reduced expense and ease of installation. Also, the tops ends of the Peters and Scannell strainers are seated adjacent to the discharge opening of the associated plumbing fixture, whereas the top flange of the present invention has an open-ended disposal flange immediately below the discharge opening and the top flange of its first strainer held by the lower portion of the disposal flange. Further, the Scannell strainer plate is held in place by a nut and bolt, with the only access to the nut being from below the plumbing fixture. Either a piercing tool or a specially designed wire for piercing (such as a coat hanger wire bent into a hook) would be required to engage one of the strainer plate holes and lift it upwardly from the stop ring that supports it, or a one would have to place at least one hand into the trap and grope through muck and debris to dislodge it from the stop ring so it can be removed. Either way, the Scannell strainer plate cannot be removed without difficulty. In addition, for lifting its strainer from the drain piping, the Peters disclosure reveals a cap connected to a chain that is secured to a portion of the plumbing fixture above the discharge opening. For lifting its strainer from the drain piping, the Scannell disclosure reveals a cross bar within the top strainer opening. Both the cap and cross bar are potential debris trappers, which could lead to premature blocking of waste fluid drainage. The protruding stub of the present invention is much smaller and poses much less of a risk of premature drain blockage. Another problem with the Scannell invention is that collection of debris on its strainer plate traps particles in a direct line with a p-trap, which acts as a sanitary water seal. Also in Scannell, it is contemplated for one to periodically empty its trap portion and remove collected semi-solid debris/grease material for burning. Thus, an operator of the Scannell invention has another task associated with its operation that requires working from below the plumbing fixture. In contrast, with use of the present invention, grease rinses freely away from debris collected in its strainer and does not form fluid-blocking clogs in the drain below. Further, in addition to both of its strainers being easily and readily removable by an operator working from above the plumbing fixture with which they are associated, not requiring the location and use of any tool for rapid removal and/or reseating of its strainers into its usable positions except operator fingers, and the present invention obviating the need for operators and maintenance personnel to bend over or work on the knees to remove drain-blocking debris clogs, which is difficult, time consuming, awkward, and not easily accomplished by those who are injured, infirm, or otherwise impaired in their movement, as well as the expense and delay of hiring a plumber, continued use of the present invention assembly further obviates the need for repeated use of drain cleaning chemicals to remove clogs from pipes and traps, which involve delay and can lead to pipe corrosion and premature pipe failure. Other disadvantages of prior art debris catch devices and procedures, which are overcome by use of the present invention, are the downtime associated with a drain blockage (particularly in business applications where a free-flowing drain is repeatedly needed, as in restaurant, animal grooming, and veterinarian applications), health hazard potential (as in the pet grooming industries, husbanding industries, kennels, and veterinarian applications where ticks associated with loosened pet hair in a drain can climb out of the drain), unpleasant odors associated with standing waste fluid, and the high cost burden placed upon wastewater treatment plants to remove food and other debris entering a drain. In contrast, the present invention debris catch system uses a fresh new approach for drain blockage prevention. A first elongated strainer sits lower in the drain than most prior art strainers, and has a larger catch capacity. Further, a second strainer supported in close proximity to the bottom of the suspended and easily removable first strainer has an elongated handle with a bent upper configuration and dimension that together allow the second strainer to be grasped from above the drain. The bent handle also allows positioning that is easily accessible from above an associated plumbing fixture, while not interfering with the proper support of the first strainer needed for effective debris capture. There is no invention known having the same structure as the present invention or all of its advantages.